The Clippers went 3-0 in their recent stretch without Chris Paul in the lineup at point guard. Naturally, the assumption was Paul's replacement, Eric Bledsoe, passed his test.

But was it a test or an audition?

The third-year guard reportedly is high on the list of a few teams seeking his services in a trade, but Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro said he doesn't believe the talk will become a distraction.

"A lot of guys' names will come up, but that's a good thing," Del Negro said Saturday. "That means people want you. That's a positive thing.

"There'll be all these rumors out there and things being said, and most of them probably won't be very accurate. As guys' names are out there, we'll discuss things with them if there's anything to it or whatever. I don't see that being an issue for us. We've got pretty good balance on that and obviously, I'm always available."